Teenagers Must Be Allowed To Be The Church Today

Have you ever noticed that throughout Scripture God seems to use young people to accomplish some of His biggest and most significant purposes? Okay, I know He chose to have some really, really old people have babies and some people lived to be like 300 years old; I am not saying that He didn't use them as well. But think about it: For instance, He used a teenage girl named Esther to save a nation from certain disaster. He used a really cool young boy (not even a teenager yet) named Josiah to start a national revival. He used a shepherd boy named David to defeat a giant. He used Jeremiah, the young teenage prophet, to bring down His anger and wrath on a defiant and disobedient nation.

I remember when I was a teenager, it seemed like a huge task: the thought of being used by God to do some miraculous and crazy things just began to blow my mind and somewhat paralyzed me in fear. Jeremiah himself spoke about this feeling that He had and this inhibition He had about God using Him at such a young age: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth. But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say I am a youth. For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you will speak'" (Jeremiah 1:6-7).

Sometimes we like to just limit things to the Bible-like miracles, healings, astonishing works of God, or in this case the use of a young person. We accept the fact that it happened in those days, but we have little faith that it could happen now. However, before we draw to too quick of a conviction that this doesn't happen in today's world, let us notice that actually church history confirms the divine propensity toward using the "way too young!" Throughout the Great Awakenings of the church, God has consistently used the "way too young" to accomplish His great purposes.

But why? 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says some interesting things in this regard: "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. God chose the foolish things of the earth to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him."

So what does all this have to say to us about our churches now and our young people now? I think it says one thing very boldly and very clear: If God has the propensity to use the "way too young" to advance His message and purpose, then we should too!

We all know that the vast majority of those who come to Christ are under the age of 18 years of age. Why aren't we investing more to reach that demographic? Why are our churches becoming less focused on reaching the young, and more focused on harboring and sustaining the old? Too many churches are writing off the aim to reach the "way too young" to a Youth Pastor or Youth Program praying that they raise up future leaders of the church, yet the church is willing to do little to engage or incorporate those students into any strategic growth or evangelistic plan NOW. Perhaps it's fear of change, or the fear of their lack of wisdom. Yet, have we ever thought that a teenager who has been empowered and tuned into a passion for the glory of God to be made known can take the gospel way further way faster than any adult? Just think, in today's world teenagers have nearly 100 online and face to face friends and 100 times more influence in those individuals lives than any stranger would.

I am convinced if our teenagers can be inspired, equipped, and challenged to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in a clear and compelling way, our communities can begin being reached for Christ again. But we must have more than just a Youth Pastor and a few Youth Leaders who are willing to coach them and support them. We must have churches who are willing to embrace them, and allow them to take the church-it's mission and it's cause-where Christ is leading them. "God chose the foolish to shame the wise; God chose the weak to shame the strong."

We have encapsulated our teenagers to being the "church of tomorrow." Tomorrow is today, and our teenagers are the church of today! As soon as they believe in Jesus Christ they are baptized by the Holy Spirit and are given a gift to use and a message to preach! They don't become members of the church or "voices" in the church when they can tithe big and serve on a committee, but when they believe in Jesus Christ.

The future isn't when these teenagers GROW UP; the future is when these teenagers SHOW UP!